iz.   - 
#510 


ADVICE  TO  SOLDIERS. 


■■  Soldiers  !  Allow  one  who  lias  devoted  himself  to  the 
work  of  promoting  your  spiritual  welfare,  to  give  you  ad- 
vice in  reference  to  matters  which  pertain  to  your  sours 
salvation.  There  are  points  connected  with  your  duty  to 
God  and  yourselves,  which  you,  from  your  situation  in  the 
army,  may  overlook,  and  a  hint  in  reference  to  some  of 
them  may  not  be  amiss.  The  writer  would  earnestly  be- 
seech you  each  to  ask  God's  blessing  upon  himself  while 
he  is  reading  the  following  lines. 

■  ;ood  Conscience. 

The  first  point  that  claims  your  attention  is  that  in  rela- 
tion to  your  conscience.  And  I  would  solemnly  urge  you 
to  see  to  it,  that  you  maintain  a  "  good  conscience."  Ev- 
ery one  has  a  monitor  within  him,  which  reproves  for 
wrong-doing,  and  signilies  its  satisfaction  in  those  acts 
which  are  right.  How  pleasant  it  is  to  have  an  approving 
conscience  !  How  unpleasant  the  consciousness  of  having 
done  wrong!  Sometimes  the  sense  of  shame  and  degra- 
dation which  is  realized  when  ve  are  guilty  of  mean  or 
base  conduct  drives  us  to  a  state  bordering  on  desperation. 
And  this  again  reacts  upon  us  producing  recklessness  and 
impiety  of  the  most  daring  character.  But  after  a  while 
by  repeatedly  disregarding  the  voice  of  conscience,  you 
will  drown  it  entirely ;  it  will  cease  to  speak   altogether ; 


or  if  it  3peaks,  it  will  not  be  heard,  The  man  in  that 
case  is  said  to  be  hardened,  and  his  condition  is  well-nigh 
hopeless.  There  is  no  probability  of  his  being  reached  by 
ordinary  appeals.  And  God's  book  sketches  his  condition 
and  doom  in  these  fearful  words:  " After  thy  hardness 
and  impenitent  heart,  thou  treasurest  up  wrath  against  the 
day  of  wrath,  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of 
God."   .Rom.  2:  5. 

LITTLE   SINS. 

Now  in  order  to  guard  against  this  condition,  allow  me 
to  advise  you  to  look  well  to  what  are  called  u  little  sins." 
No  man  is  a  great  sinner  all  at  once.  He  has  reached  that 
condition  only  after  a  long  series  of  sinful  acts.  The  state 
of  heart  which  we  have  at  any  given  period  of  life,  is  al- 
ways to  be  viewed  and  estimated  in  connection  with  those 
which  have  preceded  it,  if  we  would  form  a  correct  judg- 
ment in  regard  to  it.  And  so  with  acts.  They  are  always 
better  understood  by  contemplating  those  which  gave  rise 
to  their  commission.  When  a  case  of  manslaughter  is  to  be 
tried,  the  acts  which  preceded  and  the  circumstances 
which  attended  it  are  always  taken  into  the  account,  being 
deemed  essential  to  a  proper  judgment  in  regard  to  the 
precise  character  of  the  crime  perpetrated. 

THE    HISTORY    OF   SIN. 

The  history  of  all  sin  is  generally  this,  that  what  is 
monstrous  and  shocking  in  crime  originates  in  something 
comparatively  trifling.  Murder  is  usually  the  consumma- 
tion of  a  long  course  of  sin  beginning  in  a  slight  grudge 
or  fit  of  anger.  Sometimes  it  is  committed  in  the  vain 
effort  to  conceal  some  other  less  flagrant  breach  of  law. 
The  highwayman  intending  only  to  rob,  often  finds  him- 


self  obliged  by  fear  of  detection  to  destroy  his  victim. 
The  truth  is,  eyery  sin  we  deliberately  commit  hardens 
the  conscionce  and  tends  to  destroy  its  power  to  perform 
its  true  func.tiens.  Everyjvrong  act  committed  increases 
our  capacity  for  wrong  doing.  And  no  one  should  feel 
secure  of  haying  arrived  at  the  limit  of  his  course  of  sin, 
when  he  has  reached  a  given  point  before  the  eye  of  his 
mind.  No  one  can  truthfully  say,  "  I  will  indulge  in  this 
or  that  sin,  and  then  stop  and  do  better."  No  one  can 
flatter  himself  that  because  he  sins  only  in  one  way  there- 
fore he  is  secure  against  falling  into  other  causes  of  sin. 
The  truth  is  all  sins  are  near  akin  to  each  other,  and 
we  slide  from  one  species  into  another  insensibly.  Thus, 
we  go^  on  from  lesser  to  greater  sins,  and  from  those  of 
one  kind  to  those  of  another,  until  at  last  we  are  .cast  off 
by  God,  and  the  influences  of  the  Holy  spirit  are  entirely 
withdrawn. 

We  see  then  the  importance  of  cultivating  a  conscience 
which  will  check  us'  when  in  the  act  of  committing  the 
smallest  sin.  Be  on  your,  guard  against  little  sins,  and 
yon  need  have  but  little  fear  of  committing  great  ones. 
Train  yourself  to  the  habit  of  heeding  every  monition  of 
conscience.  Some  think  it  unmanly  to  be  particular  about 
trifles.  But  no  one  would  for  a  moment  favor  this  view, 
if.it  be  applied  to  acts  of  dishonesty  or  even  discourtesy 
towards  a  fellow  man.  The  universal  judgment  of  rights 
minded  men  is  that  the  greater  the  respect  we  pay  to  the 
property  and  feelings  of  others,  the  more  praise  worthy 
our  conduct.  Then  how  much  more  carefully  should  we 
cultivate  respect  and  deference  for  the  rights  and  claims 
of  the  Father  of  our  spirits.  No.  Be  assured  you  cannot 
be  too  nice  in  your  observance  of  God's  law,  nor  can  your 
oonscience  be  trained  to  too  high  or  too  delicate  a  regard 
for  what  you  believe  to  be  right.  Avoid,  therefore  the 
approaches  of  sin. 


Take  for  instance  the  vice  of  gambling.  If  you  learn 
how  to  play  cards,  you  have  taken  the  "firet  step  towards 
contracting  the  habit  of  staking  money  upon  the  game. 
The  one  leads  to  the  other  by  the  almost  necessary  se- 
quence of  cause  and  effect.  80  too  the  habit  of  indulging 
in  intoxicating  drinks  is  contracted  by  yielding  to  the 
tempter  in  the  first  instance.  If  the  first  drink  be  not 
taken,  there  can  be  no  second,  no  last.'  Sin's  demands 
become  the  more  exorbitant  as  they  are  yielded  to  and 
satisfied. 

REGARD   SLIGHT   IMPRESSIONS. 

In  the  next  place,  regard  the  slightest  impression  made 
upon  your  feelings.  Are  you  touched  by  the  preaching 
of  the  word  ?  Has  some  thought  affected  your  heart  and 
moved  you  to  tears  ?  Have  you  become  convinced  that 
all  is  not  right  with  you,  and  that  in  your  present  state 
you  are  unprepared  to  die  ?  Are  you  unable  to  indulge 
in  sinful  pleasure  and  give  loose  rein  to  your  unlawful  de- 
sire ?  Has  some  mysterious  restraint  been  thrown  around 
you,  so  that  you  cannot  now  as  formerly,  be  gay  and  frol- 
icsome ?  You  are  touched  by  the  spirit  of  God.  You  are 
a  subject  of  divine  influences.     God  is  calling  you. 

WHAT  MUST    BE   DONE  WHEN    GOD    CALLS  ? 

And  what  are  you  to  do  ?  Now  the  advice  you  need  is 
rather  in  reference  to  what  you  must  not  do,  than  to  what 
you  must.  I  beseech  you,  do  not  make  an  effort  to  remove 
these  impressions.  Shake  them  not  off.  You  may,  if  you 
choose,  resist  the  calls  of  God.  It  rests  with  you  to  de- 
termine whether  you  will  yield  or  not.  Oh !  do  not  strive 
to  banish  concern  and  quell  the  clamors  of  conscience. 
You  may  by  entering  into  gay  society  or  by  taking  one 


drink  of  ardent  spirits,  remove,  for  the  present,  these  gra- 
cious impressions.  But  think  of  the  consequences.  Think 
of  the  state  of  torment  which  awaits  those  who  are  finally 
impenitent — of  the  bitter  regrets  which  you  will  experi- 
ence, when  even  the  least  hope  of  improvement  in  your 
deplorable  condition  shall  be  forever  gone.  Think  that  one 
false  step  now  may  seal  your  doom  and  consign  you  to  the 
"  blackness  of  darkness  and  despair  forever/'  When  the 
feelings  are  aroused,  and  the  attention  turned  seriously  to 
the  subject  of  religion,  it  is  dangerous  beyond  measure  to 
resort' to  expedients  for  banishing  concern  and  stilling  the 
alarms  of  conscience.  This  is  God's  work — a  work  carried 
on  at  his  own  time  and  in  his  own  way.  And  be  sure  that 
you  interfere  not  with  God,  nor  strive  with  your  maker. 
Attempt  anv  other  rash  measure.  Rebel  against  your 
earthly  sovereign.  Interfere  with  his  plans  and  bring  his 
purposes  to  naught.  But  oh  !  trifle  not  with  the  spirit  of 
God.  Many  of  you  are  touched  by  the  kind  and  affection- 
ate appeals  of  mothers,  wives  and  sisters,  who  implore  you 
with  tears  to  turn  from  your  evil  ways.  They  are  pained 
not  only  at  your  absence,  but  the  uncertainty  of  seeing  you 
again  in  this  life  ;  and  they  long  to  be  persuaded  that 
whatever  may  befall  you  in  this  war,  they  will  meet  you 
in  heaven.  Their  appeals  have  brought  the  tears  to  your 
eyes  and  melted  your  hearts.  Will  you  not  yield  to  the 
impressions  thus  made  and  ;<  seek  the  Lord  now  with  the 
whole  heart  V  Oh  !  do  not  allow  the  current  of  feelings 
to  be  frozen  and  your  hearts  again  to  become  hard  and 
callous.  Be  assured  you  will  bitterly  regret  your  folly 
when  death  overtakes  you,  if  not  before,  as  the  following 
cases  prove. 


CASES   IN    POINT. 

First  case.  A  gentleman  attended  a  religious  meeting 
at  which  many  were  deeply  concerned  for  the  salvation  of 
their  souls.  He  was  unusually  attentive  and  signified  his 
desire  to  be  conversed  with  upon  the  subject  of  religion. 
The  preacher  found  him  lamenting  his  condition.  He  had 
no  hope — was  shut  up  to  utter  despair,  and  spoke  of  his 
doom  as  fixed.  Yet  he  could  not  feel.  He  had  been  fre- 
quently impressed  and  even  moved  to  tears,  but  had  as 
frequently  managed  to  shake  off  his  impressions.  And 
now  his  judgment  was  convinced.  He  knew  he  was  a 
sinner,  exposed  to  God's  wrath,  but  he  could  not  feel  pen- 
itent and  yielding.  In  this  condition  he  remained  to  the 
day  of  his  death. 

Second  case.  A  lady  had  had  very  deep  convictions  of 
sin  in  early  life.  But  contriving  to  remove  the  unpleas- 
ant feelings  under  which- she  labored,  she  determined  by 
entering  into  lively  society  and  avoiding  church,  to  prevent 
a  recurrence  of  the  disagreeable  sensations  she  had  expe-' 
rienced  ;  and  to  carry  her  point  more  surely  she  became  a 
Universalist.  Then  she  was  so  armed  that  she  could  ven- 
ture any  where.  For  to  be  a  Universalist  is  oftentimos 
only  to  have  a  pretext  for  not  being  a  christian.  She  was 
now  bold  and  went  frequently  to  church.  On  one  occa- 
sion while  the  preacher  was  expatiating  upon  the  threat- 
enings  of  God's  law,. she  deliberately  shook  her  head- 
thus  expressing  her  dissent  from  the  preacher's  positions 
and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  many 
in  the  congregation. 

About  three  months  after  this,  the  preacher  on  visiting 
the  church  in  his  usual  round  of  appointments  was  met  by 
a  professor  of  religion  who  announced  to  him  the  death  of 
the  lady  in  question.     "  Ah  !"  said   he,    "  did   she  die  a 


Universalist  ?"     ,l  Oh  no."  was  the  reply,   "  she   died  in 
utter  despair." 

"Not  so  your  eyes  shall  always  view, 
Those  objects  which  you  now  pursue, 
Not  so  will  heaven  and  hell  appear 
When  death's  decisive  hour  is  near.*' 

ATTEND    UPON    THE    MEANS    O! 

Lastly.  Attend  upon  the  lnisistrations  of  God's  word 
in  your  midst.  Many  of  you  have  regular  preaching  and 
prayer  meetings  in  camp.  Neglect  no  such  opportunity, 
as  these  occasions  furnish,  of  learning  the  way  of  the  Lord. 
Oh !  how  it  cheers  the  hearts  of  loved  ones  at  home  to 
heai  that  you  are  constant  in  your  attention  to  the  duties 
of  religion.  Said  a  dying  man  to  the  writer  "  Oh  !  if  I 
oould  hear  one  more  sermon  JBBut,  be  so  good  as  to  write 
my  wife,  informing  her  that  iTiope  God  has  converted  my 
soul  since  I  have  been  lying  here  on  this  bed  in  the  hos- 
pital." 

How  soon  may  you  be  lying  in  tho  same  condition. 
Think  of  this,  and  improve  all  present  advantages.  And 
may  God's  grace  be  abundantly  shed  down  upon  you,  so 
that  when  you  return  home,  if  God  spares  your  life,  your 
wife  or  mother  or  sister  may  be  enabled  to  say,  "  Rejoice 
with  me.     The  lost  is  found,  the  dead  is  alive  again." 


THANKSGIVING  FOR  VICTORY.       S.  M. 


1  With  brave  but  beating  heart, 

We  marched  to  meet  the  foe, 
"Uncertain  what  should  be  our  part — 
Who  should  in  death  lie  low. 

2  We  longed  the  day.  to  win, 

And  drive  the  invader  back. 
Thus  we  would  help  a  peace  to  gain,, 
The  blessing  that  we  seek. 

3  Thy  goodness,  Lord,  we  tell, 

We  bless  thy  wondrous  grace. 
While  bullets  flew^gted  many  fell, 
We  did  not  end  Wr  race. 

4  A  victory  we  have, 

Because  thou  helped  us  Lord. 
Else  we'd  been  covered  by  the  wave* 
And  fallen  'neath  the  sword. 

5  To  thee  the  praise  is  due, 

To  thee  our  thanks  we  give. 
O  help  us  love  and  serve  thee  too, 
And  to  thy  glory  live. 

6  And  when  comes  our  last  h'ght, 

That  fight  which  all  must  make. 
Bring  us  off  conquerors,  through  th\  might. 
For  our  Redeemer's  sake. 

CXXIV  Psalim  verses  4,  5. 


Hollinger  Corp. 
pH  8.5 


